Clouded Skies
by risingsunsettingmoon
Summary: One on the path of the hero, the other on the path of destruction. When these two forces meet, will it give way to chaos or will harmony be achieved? sasunaru Rated for violence, language and mature themes.
1. Chapter 1: Encounter

_Sasuke: This is our Naruto RP that we've been working on for the past few months. We both consider ourselves to be fairly decent writers so we've made sure to include a lot of details so you guys can enjoy the story. It takes place right before Itachi and I fight Kabuto and we've altered a couple things to make it flow more in the beginning, such as Naruto being in Konoha to start with. I start out with Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan and Naruto is able to go into Tailed Beast Mode. We hope you enjoy (mainly because we have about 200 pages that we can't wait to share!)_

* * *

'You know, there are times even now when I look back and wonder what I had done wrong, if I could have changed anything. I guess it was some kind of desperate attempt to figure out what brought me to this point. Not the point now where I am alone in this park, swinging on this swing, watching the lights from the windows of all the buildings slowly turning off one by one. But what exactly did I do different than the others. Their paths are set straight, and surely mine had been set the moment I decided to be a Hokage. Yet still, I'm not, and everyone else has their dreams completed, their goals seen out. Maybe its about time I start looking for a new path?'

This was not normal for Naruto to be seen out after dark, alone, friendless, contemplating the usual things that would normally keep a sane person awake at night. But he was there, slowly kicking his feet into the sand, letting the motion of the chains bring him back and forth across the ditch. He remembered being a child, watching children play on this swing set from afar, dreaming that he too would one day possess a friend who would help him reach the top of the bar. No such luck sadly, his friends had their own lives, their own families, and when the missions were complete they would go home and live out those lives. The only person in this whole world who understood how he felt… left, along with part of Naruto that he could never take back. Why? Because Sasuke Uchiha had been his first of many bonds he created since starting his personal quest, but Sasuke was also the only one who was alone and in the end did something with himself. He left to gain power, to become someone great! Sure Naruto was great in his own way but he still had to look up to others, he still had to hold his tongue, and he was still kept in the shadows. In a way he envied Sasuke for the bravery he possess… though he would take that to his grave.

The night air still clung to the afternoon rain shower making the air moist, hot even. The sand wasn't fluffy as usual, it was dark, and the foot prints… his foot prints were still as visible in them as the moment he walked across the park. Naruto knew these thoughts were a burden on his mind, and he really didn't need to be reminded of it every time the sun went down, but it was difficult when he knew somewhere, out there, someone might be thinking exactly the same about himself. The wind picked up, causing locks of his golden spiky hair to brush back and forth over his forehead; and just as the wind picked up, the moon, once so bright in the sky was covered by a dark cloud.

* * *

Left…right…left…right… Every step he took echoed in his heart, hollow and empty except for the thought of revenge. The dark clouds gathering above seemed to reflect his mood, the light from the moon covered in shadow. He could faintly hear the talking coming from behind him as his ever loyal companions followed close behind, Suigetsu and Karin bickering yet again while Juugo remained silent and stoic. He ignored them, instead focusing on what he had to do, the reason he was heading for Konoha in the first place.

Itachi…it always seemed to come back to him. His entire life had been defined by his brother and now, even in death, the elder Uchiha held a grip over him. He couldn't get the words out of his head, the words the masked man, Madara, had spoken to him in that dark, damp cave. Itachi, murderer of the Uchiha clan had been innocent…well not entirely. Yes, his brother had slaughtered every member of their clan but had only done so on orders from the council in Konoha. The Uchiha had been planning a coup, something he could now understand why. The village he had thought he would protect has seen his family as nothing but a stain on their perfection.

That was fine by him. He was tired of his clan being tainted by Konoha. His brother had given everything for the village, only to be treated as a criminal and an outcast. No one would remember his sacrifice, they would only celebrate his defeat. Sasuke would force them to remember. He would carve the name of his brother in every man, woman and child in that cursed place he had once called a home. 'To Itachi, your life was more important than the village.' As it is with me, Sasuke thought, seeing the gates of the village approaching. Itachi was far more important than this place of ignorance.

Now armed with his brother's eyes, he would bring ruin to the place he would never again call home.

He stopped before the gates, keeping his distance in the trees and heard the others stop behind him. "I'm going in alone," he said, pulling up the hood of the black cloak up.

He saw Karin take a step forward out of the corner of his eye. "But Sasuke-kun-"

"Alone," he snapped back at her, Sharingan blazing to life more in response to his emotions than a conscious will. He curbed it before it could morph and do real damage to the girl. Despite being an annoyance, she was useful, for now. "Do what you want but don't follow me." He didn't give them a chance to say another word before taking off.

It was dark in Konoha, lights beginning to turn off as people went to sleep. It was an excellent time to strike but he knew better. He was born and raised in this village, despite the taint it brought to his mind. He knew the guards were doubled and maybe even tripled with everything that had been happening. It was an easy matter to find the weak spot in their patrols, allowing the single guard to catch his eye for a moment, long enough to fall into a Genjutsu.

He let the man fall safely, knowing a death would cause a panic. He wanted this to be a surprise to Konoha, especially the Elders.. The ones who had given Itachi his instructions in the first place. He would savor the looks of panic and fear before plunging his Kusanagi blade into the their chests, frying every cell in their bodies with his Chidori.

He landed on the other side of the wall, keeping his head down and eyes their normal onyx. On the off chance anyone was about, they weren't likely to recognize him and with his chakra concealed, even the sensory types wouldn't be able to locate him unless they were looking very specifically for his signature. He set off down the street, intending to kill some time before the shift change would happen. He didn't want to admit it to himself but he was nostalgic, this being the first time he laid eyes on Konoha in three years.

He found himself walking past the Academy, memories coming up that he pushed down with determination. They were all lies, this happiness, his 'friends'. They were just as guilty as the rest of the village. His thoughts were broken as he saw a figure sitting on a swing in the distance and was thrown back to the past. How many times had he seen the same person sitting there, alone again while others went home, laughing with their families?

He kept his distance, knowing that if anyone were to recognize him, it would be the blond sitting only feet away. However, he couldn't bring himself to move away, staring at Naruto's back like he had done so many times. Half of him wanted to reach out to him, assure him that he wasn't alone, despite what the villagers said. The other half, the winning half, assured him that Naruto was an enemy, just like the rest. Instead of running away, he simply stood there, hesitating in his decision to speak up or to run away.

* * *

Naruto bowed his head, slowly letting his cheek rest against his fist that continued to clutch the chain on the swing. Sky blue eyes slowly closed before opening again, almost as if all his thoughts had been silenced, his determination was gone and for that very moment Naruto looked tired. This moment would have lasted, he would have continued to sit on that swing until day break, and by that point he would be able to go back to his friends and live the life he imagined himself to have. But something new interrupted, it caused him to jerk up in surprise then look down at his pocket.

"What the…" A whisper of words were paused when his questioning stare was answered when his hand reached into his side pocket and retrieved a small rectangular device. For a moment Naruto stared at the object, that still unpredictable object, before it burst to life once again, vibrating and ringing at full volume. A cry erupted from Naruto's lips as he lost grip on the shiny red case. "Dammit!" A curse followed as he leaned down and grabbed it up again. This stupid thing, which had been a gift from Sakura, had been his worst companion to date. At least Sai understood when to go home, but this thing wouldn't stop ringing and buzzing at all hours of the night. A 'cell phone' they called it, more like a demon object from hell! Naruto flipped open the phone and the bright screen caused him to wince and squint his eyes at the text. "Sakura?"

It was a message from his pink haired friend! 'Naruto!' It read, 'my family wanted to invite you over, are you busy?' An invitation? Naruto leaped to his feet in glee. An invitation from Sakura!? Oh what a night this had become! Naruto had such high hopes, he had so many plans running through his mind about how he would woo the girl of his dreams that when he turned around and began to walk, his face pressed close to the phone as he attempted to message back to her, he never noticed the shadowy figure standing ahead of him until the persons shadow merged with his own.

Blue eyes glanced up, first expecting to see a village guard, but when his vision focused on the person before him he stopped, slowly letting the phone fall from his face to his side. There was something in the air, a tension that was unwelcoming, threatening even. It made Naruto's happy feelings disappear, and now, Naruto was on edge.

"Hello?" Oh yes, Naruto! Perfect thing to ask the creepy man standing in front of you, of course the stranger could see you, he was standing there all along probably! But the light was behind the figure, and the cloak was making it impossible to see who was under the hood. Naruto just stood, neither in defense or completely unguarded as he waited for the answer.

* * *

Sasuke couldn't help but feel some small spark of amusement as Naruto fiddled with the device. It seemed even time hasn't changed some of the blond's personality and habits. He almost felt relieved but the thoughts were pushed away with annoyance. Even now, despite his commitment, the idiot managed to sneak his way into his thoughts. He watched Naruto stand but made no movement in response, the blond walking closer to him. Surely Naruto recognized him, surely he knew who it was standing in front of him. The one he had trained three years for, the one he had chased down with such determination, the one he cried for.

As it turned out, the blond didn't in the slightest. The single word was enough to make Sasuke smirk to himself, knowing nothing had changed. They were standing so close but once again, he had the dark on his side, concealing his features. He recalled what Madara had said earlier, about the tailed beasts and how Akatsuki wanted them. The younger Uchiha had agreed to go after the Eight Tails but Madara would be sending Pain after Naruto. He had a brief image of Naruto, floating in front of the statue as the Kyuubi was ripped out of him, leaving a lifeless shell. He could barely imagine Naruto, of all people, being lifeless.

He took a step back, forcing his body to relax. There was no use in starting a fight here, in Konoha. Despite his new power, he would be caught without even making it to the first room in Hokage tower. However, some part of him, some insignificant and clearly moronic part had to say something. "Naruto." That was all he got out before realizing his mistake. He obeyed the first thought in his mind and turned away from the blond, walking down the path.

* * *

"Naruto." The figure in front of him said in response, and the blonde was hardly expecting it, that and the fact that once the name was stated, the figure turned and began to walk away. A strange and confused expression lingered on Naruto's face as he watched the strange and… creepy figure retreat. Was this the part Naruto was supposed to understand what to do and follow the person? Was he trying to show him something? But that voice, it was bugging him… like a ghostly reminder of somebody he had lost long ago. No… it can't be… Naruto's eyes narrowed in determination, and he knelt down, before pushing up and leaping high into the nights sky. With grace and skill he hadn't always possessed, Naruto landed a good few meters away from the figure, but the only difference was, they were facing each other again. "You said my name, who are you and why are you leaving all of a sudden."

Always so determined, Sasuke thought to himself, eyes narrowing beneath his hood. He hadn't wanted to fight but it seemed like the blond was giving him no choice. He reached for his Kusanagi's hilt beneath his robe, keeping a hand on it as he watched Naruto. His mind easily understood the situation, the main point being that the blond was always slower than he was, even now. While Naruto was the hard hitter, he was the snake, the one who sped through enemy lines, cutting the head off the wolf. He flashed behind the blond, his blade out and at his throat, although he held back his lightning, knowing it would make noise. "Don't follow me," he snapped before sheathing the blade in a flash, like he had done hundreds of times, and setting off once more. He gave a small smirk to himself, knowing exactly what Naruto would do. Maybe he wanted his so called friend to chase him since, at this point, threats would only serve to encourage him.

* * *

The figure wasn't listening, and it was starting to annoy the blonde. But the figure hadn't even said anything before he disappeared. The movement couldn't have been timed by a blink, not even a heart beat, because one second the man was in front of him, then next he was behind. Naruto felt the cool familiar metal edge press against his bare neck, one swallow and he'd threaten it to draw blood. But Naruto was still, knowing that whoever this was, he could have killed him right there… yet he didn't. Instead Naruto felt the hot breath from his captor as he finally spoke.

"Don't follow me." Yet again it gave Naruto no answers, and what peeved him completely was this stranger was almost toying with him! The blade was gone as quickly as it had come and Naruto no longer felt the presence of the man behind him. The blonde turned his head slowly, looking over his shoulder, watching the stranger walk away… out of disrespect, out of pride, the man never revealed who he was even after showing he knew Naruto. The boys jaw clenched and fists tightened. Suddenly Naruto turned on his heel and with a burst of speed he flew at his target. A kunai was ripped from its pouch, spun around once on his finger before his hand closed around it. He knew this rash behavior would probably get his ass beaten, but he was now determined to at least find out who this person was.

* * *

Sasuke spun, reacting immediately, three years of intense training and a lifetime of shinobi skills that had been drilled into him guiding his steps. Sharingan flared to life, a constant companion in every battle that he had faced as he caught Naruto's wrist, smoothly deflecting the attack. His hood slipped back, only slightly but enough to reveal ebony bangs tinged by blue and bright red eyes, the colour of blood, swirling in their depths. "What did I just say, idiot?" He was letting his emotions get the best of him, something that seemed to happen far too often when it came to Naruto. The blond seemed to have this ability to bring out of the best and the worst in him. Without even saying a word, Naruto had brought a flood of emotions, some that were definitely negative flowing back to him, the most dominant of which was annoyance. Why didn't he ever listen to anyone? It was like dealing with a child sometimes.

"Ah!" Naruto small shout was only caused due to his footing and motion being completely thrown off. He nearly tripped over himself as his wrist was caught by the skilled stranger and forced away from its target. Naruto looked up, fully expecting to see a fist come at his face, but instead he wasn't being countered, instead he was staring up into the face of Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto had stilled, his mind blanked, and he did not seem to want to move from this position, Sasuke could have easily pushed him over like a rock if he wanted to by this point. Blue eyes just stared into brilliant crimson and the boys name fell on the tip of his tongue. Suddenly his mind came back into full gear, it worked, desperately trying to figure out why he was looking into the face of Sasuke. Why, after so many years of chasing, Sasuke had come to him. There were so many questions, ones that he knew Sasuke would never willingly answer. But what the Uchiha said struck him and that was now on top of his list. What did he mean?

"Sasuke…" He breathed out, finally finding his voice. The tightening in his chest was familiar, something he was used to every time he came across his best friend. Tears were threatening to escape, so many emotions were working through him that finally his body reacted and he slowly fell to his knees in front of the Uchiha. "Why?" He whispered, looking up with a helpless expression. "… why can I never follow?" It wasn't what he had planned to say, but with so many emotions, so many thoughts, it came down to the fact that Sasuke was becoming this torturing figure in his life. Constantly coming back in right when Naruto thought he could live without him.

* * *

Sasuke let go of his wrist, watching the blond fall before him. Tears again…it was always tears when it came to Naruto, nothing but sadness and desperation. It was something he was becoming used to seeing, that brief glint of determination followed by grief. "You can't understand me," he said, looking down at him, eyes still the same filled with a hatred that the blond would never be able to comprehend. Naruto was too good, too bright to know the depths of his darkness. "Why do you chase me, Naruto?" He demanded, the question being one that burned in his mind whenever he saw his former teammate. Why, even after all these years did he come back? Didn't he see what Sasuke was? There was no bond, no piece of it that he hadn't shredded with steel and lightning.

* * *

By this point Naruto had bowed his head, shutting his eyes, and doing a terrible job at hiding the tears that now fell onto the pavement before him. Why couldn't he understand him? It wasn't as if he didn't try to! At some point he thought he understood Sasuke, but then Sasuke did something that Naruto never saw coming… he pushed everything away, every person who he had grown close to, even Naruto himself. So Naruto knew he couldn't understand Sasuke, but Sasuke was also never giving him a chance to try. "Why do I chase you?" He said in a slow voice before slowly raising his head again. "I thought you'd see this by now, Sasuke… look who is the slow one."

Naruto slowly stood, one hand on knee as he got up, his arms swaying slightly as he regained his composure. "I want you back here, I want you back in this life! What you are doing out there will get you killed! And what? You have new friends? But would they ever compare to what we used to have?" He gave a long pause before continuing. "You were one of my first bonds, Sasuke! And I cannot give up on that, and I never will! You may have thrown me away, spared my life, but just know that as long as I walk this earth I was always try to find you again."

* * *

Sasuke knew, deep down, that Naruto would never give up. It was his ninja way or whatever he used to shout in the middle of their battles. He also knew that Naruto would never approve, never accept what he had done, what he was about to do and some part of him wanted to see that reaction. His eyes narrowed only slightly, taking in the blond's face before speaking. "You want me to be apart of your life again? You know nothing…you're as ignorant as this village you belong to," he snapped, the words containing a venom he knew would be heard. "You talk about this bond we had but I've destroyed it." He gave a small chuckle, the sound dark and ringing with madness. "I'm not here for you, Naruto. I'm here for your precious elders. The ones who ruined my brother's life." Too much, a voice in the back of his mind said. You're telling him too much. He doesn't need to know. "I'd spend more time training and less time worrying about our pretend friendship. The Akatsuki are on their way here for you." It didn't really matter if he knew that, he told himself. Madara was planning to send Pain here and from the few stories he heard about the man, he knew it would only be a matter of time before they dragged Naruto, bloodied and beaten to the statue to have his beast extracted.

* * *

Naruto was now trembling with anger, Sasuke's words were full of such hate and madness he could see his sanity slipping away. It was only a matter of time before what Sasuke said would come true and who would morn? The Uchiha wouldn't…. but he would see, he would have to come to understand that what feelings Naruto held for the other would not be broken just by hateful words. "I doubt it… I doubt every word you say! I know you, Sasuke, better than anyone! I just wish you saw it, no…" He closed his eyes, willing himself not to say too much. "I wish you would just see what you could truly have here!"

Naruto had done it… well, he had done something, because the moment his words slipped from his mouth the wind picked up again. It wasn't just an average wind gust either, it blew so hard that it felt like a giant fan had been placed beside the two. Naruto shielded himself, bracing his weight on his slightly bent legs as he looked over questioningly at Sasuke. "What are you doing!?" He shouted, having not been aware Sasuke could conjure up this element. It wasn't him, that's for sure! But the wind continued, the trees swayed violently and suddenly, as if an invisible hand smacked against the blonde, Naruto flew forward, toppling into the Uchiha. "SASUKE!" He shouted, as the wind storm seemed to turn into a tornado around them, there was an invisible weight, not allowing either to move until finally the ground under them opened up and with a scream, Naruto and Sasuke fell right through.


	2. Chapter 2: A New World

Sasuke's eyes widened, attempting to see through the hurricane wind that had trapped them. He didn't even have time to open his mouth to snap at the blond that he wasn't doing anything. The ground gave away beneath his feet and he felt more than saw Naruto hit him, both vanishing into the dark abyss. He didn't even have time to consider the situation before he felt the ground once more, hitting it with enough force that he felt the wind leave his chest. Having Naruto on top of him didn't help in the slightest. He pushed the blond off of him but remained sitting on the ground, his head spinning.

"What the hell did you do, idiot!" He demanded, glaring at him. His Sharingan looked around the area and he saw that it was the same park they were just in. Was that wind some sort of joke someone was playing? He knew it would take a powerful earth user to make the ground empty out like that. Had Konoha caught on to what he was trying to do? He should have known they would be keeping an eye on Naruto at all hours, regardless of if the blond was just sitting around by himself. But if he was caught, why were they back in the park? Why not a cell, an interrogation room or really anything else? "If this is your idea of a joke, Naruto, I swear I'll kill you," he snapped, not in the mood for any of the moron's practical jokes.

* * *

Naruto had become a girl in this moment, screaming all the way through the hole, up until the point his scream was caught in his chest when they landed. "Oof!" Sasuke wasn't very helpful in the poor blondes situation as the raven haired boy shoved him off. The blonde just ended up rolling away, rubbing his chest and trying to get his breath back in order. "W-What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!" He sat up, giving Sasuke a dirty look before standing. "Well… whatever it was, it doesn't seem to have done anything." He was still inwardly blaming Sasuke, as if any second something would look out of place and Naruto would know this was a new ability of the Uchiha's… but the other was putting on a good act, pretending he had nothing to do with the sudden attack. "I suppose we should start where we left off?" A friendly hand pushed out in Sasuke's direction, offering to help him up if need be. But the offering didn't last long when Naruto spotted new figures merging from the top of the stairs, over the hill. "Dammit!" Naruto did it again, this time out of preservation of his friends life. Despite what the Uchiha had said, Naruto was determined to make sure he kept safe. So the blonde flung himself down on Sasuke before the other could even get up. There was a struggle, but Naruto was trying to get the boys hood on to cover his identity.

"Hey you two!" Crap! They had been caught. "Would you quit messing around?" Naruto's spiky blonde head popped up over Sasuke's as he peered in the direction of the newcomers. Surprise, surprise, it was Kiba— NO! With that nose he would surely figure out it was Sasuke! "Nothing to see here!" Naruto called back.

"Bullshit! I know that's Sasuke you have there, now I don't know what you two are doing… and I don't really want to know, but you missed our plans tonight."

* * *

Sasuke debated about pushing the blond off of him once more until he realized Naruto was trying to keep him hidden. He let it happen, his Sharingan fading to pure onyx as he heard voices approaching. Wait…what? He replayed those words in his mind, unable to fully comprehend what he was hearing. That was it, he thought with full on shock. Konoha had officially gone mad. In the three years Sasuke was gone, only Team Seven had retained their sanity and now Naruto was chasing him because the rest had lost their minds. He looked at Naruto, catching sight of blue eyes and knew he was confused as the Uchiha was. Having interacted in enough…interesting situations while in the Sound, Sasuke rolled with the punches. "Nothing is happening," he snapped, pushing Naruto off of him once more, his hood completely off. "Naruto was just out and I bumped into him," he lied, sending a look to the blond, silently hoping he would catch on.

* * *

Whoa! Naruto fell back, landing on the pavement, another dirty look was sent in the Uchiha's direction but it was quickly dropped when Sasuke responded almost as if he understood the situation. Eye's widened and stared up at Sasuke before the dumbest thing fell out of his mouth; "What the hell are you talking about?!" The blonde scrambled to his feet, he was having a moment of panic because for SOME reason, Kiba and the others weren't brandishing their weapons and charging the enemy. Naruto glanced between the two, then Kiba crossed his arms.

"Okay, whatever guys, can we just get a move on? If we hurry we can still make it in time."

In time for what!? "Aren't you guys going to attack?" Now the others looked just as confused.

"Naruto, its nearly eight, you two were training all day– among other things." He replied in such a perverted smirk that Naruto felt his stomach turn. They were training? And doing things? What things!? Not that it mattered, Naruto felt faint.

* * *

Sasuke wanted to either smack himself in the forehead or, more preferably, hit Naruto. The blond had zero sense to speak of, not that he was expecting a high level of intelligence. He did a mental check of all the things he was aware of, so far. Kiba and the others, his eyes lingered on Sakura for a moment, weren't attacking him. It seemed they had no idea he was a missing nin but they still knew who he was. Strange…it was like someone erased their memories of everything Orochimaru had done in the past. They were still friends…? Clearly they thought Naruto and he were friends or something more as Kiba had insinuated. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he meant.

"Actually," he started, relaxing his body as much as he could, given the situation. "We both really should change since we've been training all day," he said, making things up as he went along. Kiba was, hopefully, talking about spending time with everyone and that usually involved going out somewhere. "We'll catch up, alright?" He looked at Naruto once more, this time more with a glare that was sharp enough to make the blond not speak. Not that he was very confident it was going to work…

* * *

What the hell was going on!? The dumbstruck expression hadn't changed on Naruto while he stared at the others, now including Sasuke.

"Sure! We will meet you at the restaurant… just don't take too long, Chojio hasn't eaten in nearly three hours." With a laugh he turned and the others smiled before following. Once they had left and Naruto was sure they were out of hear shot, he turned on the Uchiha quickly.

Taking in a deep breath to give him exactly what was on his mind. But one look from the other caused him to choke and favor his words. "You have no idea what is going on either… do you?" He asked before walking around in a circle, taking in the surroundings. Nothing had changed… just the people, and last time he checked his phone– wait, HIS PHONE! Naruto's hand drove into his pocket and he groped around inside. "Wait…" He tried the other one. "I thought it was…" He patted his back pockets, his hidden breast pockets, hell, even the ground around him but his phone was no where to be seen. "My cell phone is gone!" He finally exclaimed as if THAT was the most important thing going on at the moment.

* * *

Sasuke looked right at him, face blank. "Because that's high on my priorities right now," he said, sarcasm lacing his tone. He watched the group go, still attempting to understand what was going on. They needed to find out and he wasn't doing that dressed like this. "We're going to your house, dobe," he said, grabbing Naruto's forearm in a strong grip. "I don't know what's going on but we need to find out." His voice was harsh but he didn't care. He hated being out of control and this situation was so far out of that state, that he could feel a small part of himself start to panic. He tried not to think about the fact that he was in Konoha, his face showing and no one was trying to attack him. He also ignored or rather pushed it down with an extreme amount of force the fact that he and Naruto were going to have to work together to figure out what was happening.

* * *

"It was a gift from Sakura!" He whined as Sasuke pulled him along. The Uchiha was right though, they needed to get somewhere safe, and as of now, his apartment was the best bet.

Traveling down the main streets of Konoha with Sasuke would have been a nightmare on any normal day. By now the elderly woman selling cakes would have screamed and run away, people would panic because hoards of ninja guards would come flying down from the roof tops. But this wasn't any normal day it seemed because as they were storming by, no one gave them a second glance. One girl even smiled at the two as they passed by, this was now giving Naruto another moment to ask; what the hell was going on!?

"Sasuke wait!" He finally pulled his arm free once they stopped at the stairs to his apartment building, secretly Naruto was impressed Sasuke still remembered where it was located, but they had no time to relive the past. "If we are going to work together, you can't drag me around like this, it's going to draw attention!" He exclaimed, then took a deep breath. "Lets just get inside." Naruto jumped up, not bothering to take the stairs as usual. When he landed outside the apartment he froze. There was a light on inside… was someone in there? The blonde glanced towards the Uchiha who wasn't far behind. "Stay there, I bet whoever it is will be expecting me, not you." He waved his hand in Sasuke's direction before stepping towards the door. A couple knocks sounded and a faint shuffle was heard inside, yet no one answered. Naruto braced himself, expecting… slightly hoping, to find a sexy girlfriend inside waiting for him. He turned the knob and pushed open the door. Light streamed in from the hall and Naruto disappeared into the entrance way.

"Hello?" His voice could be heard from outside, then it went quiet, so still that the background noise from the city below was muffing the sounds from within the apartment. Just when it looked like everything was perfectly calm, a scream erupted from within and Naruto flew out the door, flailing his arms as objects were thrown at him by a half naked, large figured woman.

"AHHHH! I'M SORRY I'M SORRY!" Naruto abandoned Sasuke and the woman screamed at the Uchiha as well, chucking a metal pot at him. Meanwhile Naruto had landed below in the alley, breathing hard. "That was NOT my apartment!"

* * *

Despite standing a few feet back, that woman had good aim. Sasuke dodged out of the way, escaping behind Naruto until they were both hiding in the alley. "Last time I checked, it was," he said, looking back up to see the woman shout about annoying teenagers before going back inside. He looked out at the street to see a couple people staring at them but they just shook their heads before they kept walking. This was extremely strange… His eyes scanned the village, taking it in now that they had a moment and something caught his eye. Something that was very, very off. His eyes landed on the faces of the Hokage and he did a double take, his eyes focusing on the last two. He was used to seeing the Fourth, Naruto's father, a constant, even before he left the village. What he was not used to was the face that was beside it. It could have been a complete copy of the Fourth apart from the telling six marks on his cheeks. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.

Naruto's face was carved into the Hokage Mountain. He looked at the blond, mouth open only slightly as though he was going to say something. Too many thoughts were running through his head right now as he tried to understand this strange world they had landed themselves in. 'How can I become Hokage if I can't save one friend?' I didn't leave, Sasuke thought to himself, shock going through his system. Because he didn't leave, Naruto didn't have another reason to train apart from realizing his dream, a dream that had come true in this world. Why didn't I leave? There was only one reason Sasuke could come up with or rather one reason why he would leave: seeking power to get revenge. He didn't need to seek out that power because there was no revenge to get. Without vengeance, he didn't have any purpose to become stronger apart from becoming a good shinobi.

This was also a revelation that hit him like a bolt of lightning. Itachi…his brother was alive. He had to be. His entire clan, his mother and father, everyone. They were all alive because the Sasuke of this world wasn't obsessed with revenge. Either that or he had been explained the Uchiha coup and things had changed somehow. Maybe his entire family was still dead but he prayed to whatever gods might be listening that his brother was still in the village, still respected, still loved. He shook his head slightly, banishing the thoughts to the back of his mind for now. Reaching out a hand, he grabbed Naruto's, not caring about the position they were in. "You need to see this," he said in a quiet voice, still making sure the blond could hear him. He pulled him out to the street, keeping to the edge of it since he knew, of all things, this would shock him the most. "You did it, Naruto. In this world, you're the Hokage," he explained, unsure if the other's brain had stopped working at the sight. In his subconscious, he realized that his voice was a bit softer but pushed that thought to where the thoughts of Itachi hid in the dark.

* * *

Naruto melted against the wall, rubbing the creases across his forehead where one head protector piece would usually lay. Sasuke had gone quiet, of course he would, this was confusing as hell. Naruto's head tilted back, looking up towards the ledge both he and his companion had made the escape off of. If that wasn't his house then what? What could have possibly happened in a matter of one night to have a woman move into his apartment? He paid the rent! He was a good kid! Likely, as usual, the land lord must have found someone who was willing to pay more. But where was his stuff?

Blue eyes drifted towards his friend– well… to Sasuke, who hadn't said a word for the last three minutes, he usually wore a stern expression, one that never revealed what he was thinking, but now… now he looked startled. Naruto stood up properly, "I'm sure we will get to the bottom of this." Was really all he could say at this point, he would probably talk to the old hag, demand answers, then find a new home. It wasn't like he hadn't been screwed over before, right? But Sasuke didn't say a word back, he hadn't even given Naruto a look, before Naruto took a step closer and Sasuke's hand grabbed his. Naruto looked down in shock, feeling the warm temperature of the other against his bare skin. Sasuke took his hand? The thought was dismissed as the Uchiha pulled him out from the alley, Naruto made a small attempt to escape and demand to stop being pulled around. Yet the way Sasuke stopped him, the way he turned the blonde to face the mountain, and finally how Naruto looked up at the faces, expecting to believe the other had gone mad. It caused his chest to hurt, his lungs to crave air, as the wind was knocked out of him in that brief moment of staring up at the familiar face of the current Hokage.

Slowly, Naruto sank to his knees, there on the street, no word was uttered from his lips, but tears, tears began to well up in his eyes. The shock coursed through his body, he tried to blink, but it only caused those tears to slide down his cheeks. Suddenly the ninja sprang to life, jumping up from his place on the ground and making a beeline towards the mountain. He didn't care if Sasuke was left behind, he didn't care who shouted at him for running along the roof tops. Higher and higher, Naruto raced until he was on the tallest peak of the buildings. There he could not deny it, the face, HIS face, was on the mountain, gleaming in the rock, just like his dreams had shown.

What was this? Naruto finally snapped out of the dream like state. This world… this title… was he dead? If so then did that mean Sasuke was as well?


	3. Chapter 3: Search for Answers

Sasuke watched him go for a moment, knowing that he couldn't understand the shock Naruto must be going through but he had a good idea. He could liken it to when he discovered the truth about his family. In this world, this alternate realm, Naruto had achieved his dream of becoming Hokage. That explained why he didn't live in that cupboard of an apartment, he thought with slight bitterness. He would have been quartered one of the best houses in the village, not that he would spend much time there. That thought brought another to his mind. What else was different? He still hadn't confirmed if the Uchiha clan was alive and he wasn't sure if he overly wanted to. Their…Naruto's friends treated him as though he was one of them, a thought that made him feel slightly repulsed at the moment. There was no point in standing around, though. The only way to get through this was with that blond idiot who was no doubt dancing on his own head, literally.

Sasuke took off, using his superior speed across the rooftops and was a bit surprised when no one seemed to react. Clearly, he did this a lot. That only brought more confusion. What was he supposed to be like in this world? Did he have the same personality or was he more…friendly? He gave his head a mental shake. Right now, he had to focus on getting out of this warped dream world. He traveled swiftly through the village, finding the building Naruto was on and landing behind him. What he didn't expect to find was the normally energetic ninja standing still, staring at the stone faces.

He gave a small sigh, walking over. "We don't have time for this," he said, keeping his voice neutral and emotionless. He knew the blond was probably still out of it and he grabbed his shoulder, shaking it a bit. "Snap out of it, Naruto. This isn't real," he said, more focused on trying to get Naruto's attention away from his own face and back to matter at hand.

* * *

The moment the hand was placed on his shoulder and those words were spoken, Naruto's pupils dilated and he whirled around. "Are we dead?" The fearful whisper asked. Naruto was looking to Sasuke for answers, he felt lost, scared… yet part of him was also amazed at what this world was giving to him. In this world all of his dreams had come true. He was a Hokage, he was liked, and most of all, Sasuke was here… the thought of it caused a warm tingly feeling to spread through his stomach.

"Naruto! Sasuke!" A highly familiar female voice suddenly rang out from behind them. Naruto peeked over the Uchiha's shoulder and what he saw brought a smile on his face.

"Sakura!" Without missing a beat, Naruto was back to his old self, pushing Sasuke away from him, walking closer to Sakura and grinning. "What brings you here?" This was it, in this dream world everything was coming together, meaning Sakura being his girlfriend was the last piece.

But the pink haired girl only looked confused as she replied, "Uh… I was looking for you." Yes! She was looking for him! Naruto's grin turned into some kind of expression only a cat could pull off as he leaned closer to the girl.

"Yeah? Looking for me?" He leaned in, puckering his lips, expecting to complete his life goal right here, when Sakura politely coughed. Naruto's eye peeked open, and he stilled. Yes the girl was blushing, but she was now looking over his shoulder towards Sasuke. No wait, don't tell him… Sasuke got with her!?

"I'm sorry Naruto but… I don't want Sasuke to get jealous." NOOOOOOOO! That damn Uchiha had done it again! Stole her heart right up from under him! Naruto quickly pulled away, looking grumpy and annoyed.

His arms crossed, as if he was about to put on a pout, but instead he shot a dirty look at the black haired boy. "Yeah, wouldn't want to get Sasuke jealous."

* * *

He heard the shocked words leave Naruto's lips and his heart stopped for a moment. Were they dead? Had that tornado earlier been a jutsu that killed them? No…he refused to believe that. He had precautions, techniques and seals in place to prevent such a thing from happening. He was about to respond when a voice from the past spoke up from behind him. He wanted to scowl, roll his eyes or really any reaction apart from going over to the girl and actually conversing with her.

Naruto, on the other hand, had no such problems as he went bounding over to her. This time, he did roll his eyes before turning to face the two. He watched the exchange silently, arms crossed until Sakura said something that made his heart stop once more. Jealous? Sakura didn't want to make him jealous. He kept his face blank but inside, he was panicking. What? He and Sakura were…dating? Now he knew he had to escape out of this twisted, horrifying world. Despite her slow improvement from crazy, obsessed fangirl to just obsessed fangirl, she was still pathetically weak. While he had no doubts Tsunade had trained her apprentice well, she wasn't even close to the level of Naruto or himself and that was something no amount of training could change. It was evident when they met again after three years and he all but took their makeshift team apart. Regardless, if they were dating in this backwards world, he was going to put a stop to it. "Why would I be jealous?" He all but snapped, his thoughts slowly beginning to affect his attitude.

* * *

Sakura looked back towards Sasuke, then at Naruto, and back again. "Because Naruto was trying to kiss me? I know that you don't like it when he tried to do that before…" She seemed to be recalling something that Naruto had no idea about, all he knew was he had been rejected, AGAIN, after being a Hokage he still wasn't good enough for this pink haired woman!? This was an outrage, he was fuming! Not at the loss of his one ticket to a good romantic life, but that he lost to that bastard over there!

"It doesn't matter!" Naruto growled, shutting his eyes, frowning his brow. He looked all but happy to hear of this news. Though there was one difference… this was not the Sasuke she was dating… and when this thought dawned on him, he looked over at the Uchiha through thick black lashes. He was waiting for the boy to blow up, make a rude comment that would cause Sakura to run away crying, and only then Naruto knew he could pick up the pieces. It wasn't like Sasuke would mind right?

"Are you two fighting?" Sakura added in, pointing between the two with one hand on her hip.

* * *

Sasuke was completely lost in the situation, something he wasn't accustomed to. "Fighting?" He repeated, looking for at Naruto who was staring at him. "Why would I care if the idiot kisses you?" It was less of a question and more of an insult. This was completely ridiculous. At this point, he was almost wishing for the constant bickering between Karin and Suigetsu. At least he could understand what they were talking about and clearly see the underlying sexual tension that seemed to permeate both of them.

His glare turned to Naruto, wanting to grab the blond's arm and drag him off so they could try and salvage whatever was left of the situation. He wanted things to be back to the way they were. When his goal was clear and concise and when everything actually made sense. Right now, everything was a complete and utter disaster, as far as he was concerned.

Sakura bit her bottom lip, as if not wanting to reply to his rude question. She seemed to look towards Naruto almost sympathetically before answering. "Because you two are dating?"

Silence fell over the three. So they were dating, that made more— WHAT!?

Naruto took in a deep breath, then all at once, he began to laugh, hysterically. His knees were giving out, his eyes were watering. This had to be the funniest story ever told! Sasuke and him were dating? Did she see how unlikely that was?! "That was a good one, Sakura!" He finally choked out between gasps.

Sakura's eyes were wide, she looked down at Naruto then slowly shook her head. "Naruto, that's mean, even towards Sasuke." But he couldn't help it! It was funny!

* * *

The silence rang in his mind as he attempted to process those words. It was on the third time that Naruto burst out laughing and he finally comprehended what his former teammate had said. He and Naruto were…dating? As in a couple? Romantically? He couldn't even think about what that actually meant but at least his disbelief was overpowering the sheer confusion at such a statement.

It wasn't until Sakura's last words that he understood she was serious. He and Naruto were dating…he could barely string those words together in his mind let alone out loud. No. That was it. They were getting out of this world one way or another. He looked over at Sakura and took a step forward, earning her attention. His eyes immediately flashed to their final level of Sharingan, the Eternal Mangekyou fresh and barely used as he looked into her eyes. It was a strange sensation, one he still hadn't gotten used to as his new eyes, now possessing a star-like pattern in black and red with the three pronged star in the middlemet her green ones. It only took an instant for Tsukiyomi to activate, her eyes rolling back as she fainted. "She won't remember seeing us," he said, letting his eyes fade back to their normal obsidian colour. "We need to get out of here and back to reality," he said, looking down at the village, trying to think of way they could do that.

* * *

"AHAHAHAHAHA—AHH Sakura!" Naruto darted forward, catching the poor girl before she hit the ground. He held her close, giving Sasuke a dirty look before laying her gently on the ground and standing up. "Why the hell did you do that, you bastard!" He demanded, fists clenched. He did not like the idea of Sasuke using his powers on her, even if it was to get rid of the evidence of their existence. Yes, the weight of her words were still on his mind, and even as they stood there Naruto felt more awkward around him than before. It was almost like at any second Sasuke would jump at him with those lips. Naruto bared his teeth, then looked down towards his friend. They had to go, even if it meant giving up all the things he wanted most— besides dating the Uchiha asshole! "Then where do we go next?"

* * *

Sasuke ignored his insult, instead eyeing the village. His eyes briefly caught the Uchiha district but he deliberately ignored it, turning away. He looked back at Naruto, catching his expression and returning it with a small smirk. "We should go to Hokage Tower. We have no idea where you live and it won't look suspicious if you show up there since it's your job." He crossed his arms, contemplating what they could do. First, they had to figure out what this really was. His best chance was that it was a genjutsu but it would have to be an extremely powerful one to fool him. His eyes could see through even Itachi's illusions and those were the best and now that he possessed his brother's perfect eyes, there was no way he couldn't break out of this. At least at the tower, they would have access to all the scrolls, including the forbidden ones. There, they would be able to figure out what exactly was going on and how to counter it.

He turned, looking over at Naruto. "Until we know for sure what's going on, we have to act…normal," he explained, trying to get his point across. "If we don't, the people of this world will think we're impostors and will probably either have us locked up or executed. I don't think I need to explain why that's bad," he added, although he understood the implications of what he said. They had to pretend Naruto was Hokage and that they were…together.

* * *

They had to go to the Hokage's office, sure that sounded simple, even more so since Naruto was the Hokage… Naruto was the Hokage, see, even that didn't sound real. Naruto, the boy who dreamed to become the leader of the village for so many years, appears in a village just like his own but in this one, his dream had come true. The blond launched himself across a roof top, the speed of the jump made his normally spiky hair slick back against his head. It was only when he hesitated that he regained his normal look, yet his eyes were now on Sasuke. What was he thinking? Naruto continued on behind the Uchiha. If this wasn't reality then was any of his dreams coming true as well? Besides them being a couple- not that Sasuke's dream was to ever be a couple with Naruto! He just thought of that couple thing at the wrong moment. But what could the Uchiha want most? Then it dawned on him and he felt the need to turn his head towards the area in question but resisted. It was no use now, bringing up ghosts of the past. Naruto already realized that since he was Hokage then everything that had happened between the fox demon and the forth had come true… so he still lacked a family even in this time line, but that didn't stop Sasuke's story from being rewritten.

They managed to get up to the front door and even though Naruto had done this a thousand times over, entering the office now made him feel uncomfortable. Yet the guards on either side nodded and smiled at him- nodded and smiled… again, those words didn't usually go together. Naruto gave his best effort at a confident smile in return but it ended up watery, even forced looking. No one seemed to notice, and the doors opened. The two entered and the moment the doors shut behind them, Naruto flinched and whipped back around. They were trapped! Oh god, he had to stop acting like this! The village knew him, he was the fake/real Hokage after all, but he felt like an impostor.

"Sasuke…" Naruto stuck close to the other, trying not to look like they were sneaking around, but he hadn't also realized that when another person passed them, Naruto would walk on the opposite side of the Uchiha. "What do we hope to find?" Up ahead was the clear view of the Hokage office doors, they were shut, hopefully not locked. He swallowed at his dry throat and continued on ahead to the doors. With a shaking hand, he nudged open the door and watched as it swung to the wall. Inside the office looked completely normal! Almost like his bedroom… meaning somehow he managed to move in, making the office less professional looking. There were a few old ramen bowls on the desk, papers piled in a fashion that would suggest the slightest breeze would knock them over. A sock was laying a few feet ahead on them and a rather lived in looking couch sat off to the left. "Hey this looks awesome!" The boy finally exclaimed as he walked deeper into the room. He scanned the desk top, poking at a few items that were questionable and when his eyes scanned over to the right corner, there, his horror rested. *BANG* Naruto quickly shoved the picture frame forward onto its face, putting both hands on it as if it would spring back to life at him. That terrible, horrible picture of the pair sitting at an ice cream shop smiling like a couple- A COUPLE. Sakura wasn't trying to pull their legs, this was becoming clear… they were a couple in this world.

Naruto looked up when he overheard the other speak, and quickly removed himself from his desk to open the filing cabinets. "So we are looking for a file…" He stated, proving how much he had not been listening to Sasuke the entire time. His fingers skated across the file titles, while the rest of his office was a mess, it seemed like the filing was all up to date and organized at least.

* * *

Sasuke's eyes kept scanning back and forth as they went, ever alert for danger. He didn't admit it to his blond companion but his heart was hammering in his chest. Being around people he knew would kill him and being in a village he wanted to burn wasn't doing much for his current mental state. Add that to the changes this future might bring and-

No. He pushed those thoughts as far back as he could. He wouldn't consider it. He wouldn't even think it. Right now, he had to focus on getting back to a world where things made sense. Where Konoha was his enemy…where Naruto was his enemy. His eyes went to the hyperactive ninja as they made their way to the Hokage's-Naruto's office. Clearly he was unnerved by the changes, if his awkward sneaking was anything to go by.

Although, when they entered the office, he could see Naruto relax a bit, liking the atmosphere as he vocalized that. The Uchiha looked over the room, eyes flashing red for a moment to check for any traps that the other Naruto might have laid. He was immediately broken out of his search by a slam on the desk and he raised a thin eyebrow at the action. Whatever. The dobe could do what he wanted. They had better things to worry about.

Sasuke walked to where Naruto was now flipping through files and went to the cabinet beside him, Sharingan turning on to scan words faster. "Try to find anything on Madara or the Akatsuki in general," he instructed, pulling the top drawer open. "I'm sure that old man is part of this," he added in a quiet voice, more to himself. He scanned through the first half of the files, catching familiar names here and there but mostly ignored them. However, his Sharingan missed nothing.

 _Uchiha, Itachi. Status: ANBU Captain._

Sasuke slammed the drawer closed with much more force than necessary, not caring that there was now an inch deep dent in it. If he thought his heart was pounding before, now it was threatening to break out of his chest, the sound of his blood pumping echoing in his ears. _Alive. He's alive. My clan. Alive._ He closed his eyes, trying to will his body to calm down. _This isn't real. This is a lie. My family is dead. Itachi is dead…and this village is responsible._ He made a silent vow that if Madara was behind this, he would find the man and exact the most excruciating and terrible punishment he could think of.


End file.
